Curriculum Category

Psychology

Psychology

Psychology focuses on the science of the mind, behaviour and experience. It looks at how individuals think, what they do and the way they are affected by their biological make up and the wider social group.

Why study Psychology?

If you are fascinated by the idea of understanding the brain - if you want to grasp the complexities of human behaviour - A level Psychology is for you. In lessons, you may be exploring various areas to do with cognitive, behaviour, developmental and even biological psychology by focusing on issues such as memory, child and adult developmental stages, social behaviourism, abnormalities in behaviour, physiological responses and psychological research methods. As you progress you will learn more about critical issues related to the mind, behaviour and thinking style by exploring the physiological and psychological explanations on specific issues such as Biological rhythms, relationships, eating behaviour, psychological disorders and many more. You will learn scientific information such as the aims, procedures and findings of studies but you will also need to be able to evaluate these theories critically and provide relevant evidence. Some answers require you to be concise but there are also longer essay based answers, thus again providing diverse experiences and useful transferable skills, which can be developed through studying fascinating topics on human development.ost importantly, Psychology will give you an opportunity to learn, understand and evaluate issues happening around you in your everyday life, which could then be applied to the wider world.

What course is studied?

At Audenshaw School, students follow the OCR Psychology courses. This includes the following components; planning, conducting, analysing and reporting psychological research across a range of experimental and non-experimental methodologies and techniques. The course introduces some of the central areas of investigation in psychology organised in key themes. Each key theme is represented by a classic and a contemporary core study. There is a compulsory section on Issues in mental health. Learners will also study two out of the following applied options: Child psychology, Criminal psychology, Environmental psychology, Sports and exercise psychology.

What GCSEs do I need?

No specific subjects are required, although a B grade or above is desirable in English and Maths.

What might the subject lead onto?

Psychology compliments all areas and subjects. Its focus on human mind, behaviour and thinking is attractive to all employment and areas of work involving human resources. The subject also instils skills in research, analysis, communication and organisation that go well beyond the value of the material covered. It is, of course, relevant to those interested in Psychology at degree level, who plan to follow other paths.